Q.1: State one reason why you think reservations play an
important role in providing social justice to Dalits and Adivasis?

Answer:
In addition to providing certain facilities, the Government also made some laws
to ensure that concrete steps are taken to end inequalities in our society. One
such law or policy is the reservation policy by which a certain percentage of
seats in education and Government employment are reserved for Dalits, Adivasis
and other backward castes. The reservations play an important role in providing
social justice to Dalits and Adivasis since the objective behind this policy is
to bring the Dalits and the Adivasis at par with the forward castes in the
society.

Q.2: Why do you think the Dalit families were afraid of angering
the powerful castes?

Answer:
The Dalit families were afraid of angering the powerful castes because the
Dalits belonged to the socio-economically poor background of the society and
were of meager resources also. Many of them had to work on the fields of the
powerful castes for earning their livelihood. These are the reasons because of
which Dalit families were afraid angering the powerful castes.

Q.3: Can you list the
two different provisions in the 1989 Act?

Ans:
Yes.These are:

(i)to occupy land which was taken from
them

(ii)no forced displacement.

Long type Questions with their Answers

Q.1: What
do you understand by manual scavenging? Or write a note on ‘Manual Scavenging’.

Answer:
Manual scavenging means doing the scavenging work by hand. Manual scavenging is
the practice of removing human and animal waste or excreta using brooms, tin
plates and baskets from dry latrines and carrying it on the head to the
disposal grounds some distance away. A manual scavenger is the person who does
the job of carrying this filth. This job is mainly done by Dalit women and
young girls. Manual scavengers are exposed to subhuman conditions of work and
face serious health hazards. They are constantly exposed to infections that
affect their eyes, skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. They get
very low wages for the work they perform. In 1993, the Government passed the
Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition)
Act. This law prohibits the employment of manual scavengers as well as the
construction of dry latrines.

Q.2: Why did the Safai Karamchari Andolan file a PIL in 2003?
What did they complain about in their petition?

Answer:
The safai karamcharis filed a PIL in 2003 to get the manual scavenging banned.
They complained in their petition that manual scavenging which is an inhuman
job still existed like in railways. Since this job violates the fundamental
right against exploitation so the petitioners sought enforcement of their
fundamental rights.